Page:Tales from old Japanese dramas (1915).djvu/415

Rh "Eda," whispered Kemmotsu, "you fled very skilfully."

"No," replied Eda laughingly, "your chase was far better than my flight, I think."

"As we are both so skilful, I am sure that the sagacious Yoshi-oki cannot suspect our tricks."

"That is true. It will be very easy for us to entice him to the ferry of Yaguchi, and thus lead him to his ruin"

At this moment, they were startled to hear a tumult of war-shouts, and the clattering of hoofs. They hastily took up their swords and battled with each other for a little while, and as before Eda took to flight, and Kemmotsu pursued him.

With regard to Yoshi-oki, he was determined to search out Taka-uji, and to fight with him in single combat, in order to decide the issue. Therefore he spurred his steed and began to gallop towards the enemy's ranks. But a warrior wearing a mino or straw waterproof over his armour, and whose face was almost completely muffled in a hood, sprang forward, and firmly seizing the tail of his horse, drew the animal back. "What insolence!" cried the General with intense irritation. "Let go your hold, rascal!"